MARVEL WOMAN & THE FALLEN versus GREEN GOBLIN & MAN-SPIDER

Goblins in the Night (Marvel)
Where: Mutant X #5 When: February 1999
Why: Howard Mackie How: Tom Raney

The Story So Far...
Panic fills the streets of Manhattan as an army of goblin creatures spread terror at the command of The Green Goblin! Just another nasty surprise from the alternate reality that has become Havok's new home!

In truth they are merely genetically-engineered frauds -- but Norman Osborn's gang war has brought the fear of dark magic back to a world that thought the nightmare hand ended long ago!

All things occult & mystical were locked away in response to this world's harrowing "Strange Debacle", but now a once complacent populous renews unwanted attention that threatens the dark secrets of The Goblin Queen! While Madelyne Pryor fights in the streets as The Six's Marvel Woman, she plots a far darker response to this incursion upon her demonic domain!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Spider-Man 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Green Goblin 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-Man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Spider-Man 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Spider-Man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Angel 4 (Trained)
Energy: Madelyne Pryor 5 (Lasers)
Total: Spider-Man 29 (Metahuman)

Marvel Woman and The Fallen might not sound familiar by those names, but you should recognize them as Madelyne Pryor and Warren Worthington III!

In the mainline Marvel Universe they're an ill-fated clone of Jean Grey, and original X-Man, Angel, but in the alternate reality of Mutant X -- also known as Earth-1298 -- they're sinister members of Earth's premier super-team: The Six!

True to the original: Madelyne Pryor was created by Mister Sinister to give birth to the ultimate mutant by procreating with the Summers line. In the world of Mutant X there was no Cyclops (on Earth), so her affair with Alex "Havok" Summers led to marriage, a son, and the reformation of X-Factor as The Six.

Madelyne possesses latent psychic & telekinetic abilities similar to Jean Grey's, but her true power comes from a deal with a demon that granted her command of dark magics and all that lurks in the shadows as The Goblin Queen.

That influence includes holding sway over The Fallen, who is the irrevocably dark-spirited transformation of Angel: a bat-winged horseman of death more terrifying than the Archangel created by Apocalypse in the main Marvel Universe.

Having more than just a bad attitude and merciless vindictive streak, this pale-skinned incarnation of Warren Worthington III can also breathe fire, and has talon-like finger tips capable of ripping through flesh.

This all spells bad news for Norman Osborn, whose persona as the Green Goblin has gone so far as to create a legion of genetically-engineered goblin-like creatures who do his bidding in his efforts to seize control of New York City's criminal underground. The creatures specifically prey upon this world's fear of all things magic -- outlawed and eradicated after "The Strange Debacle".

He remains a nemesis of the six-armed Man-Spider, who is this world's clone-saddled Peter Parker, possessing all the usual skills you would expect of Spider-Man, albeit with the six arms he shed shortly after growing them.

Man-Spider enters the battle presuming the heroic Six are in lockstep, but you and I know that's not the case. His history with Norman Osborn won't make them bosom buddies any time soon, but can they turn the tables on Goblin Queen and The Fallen? We know the players. I guess we should find out what happened!

The Tape: Green Goblin & Man-Spider Ranking: Angel (#50)

What Went Down...

Entering the darkened Bugle, The Goblin Queen can sense that the charlatan Green Goblin is somewhere in the building. She orders her minion The Fallen to find "the false one" -- but a volley of pumpkin bombs finds him instead!

The Green Goblin rides his glider around the cavernous ceiling, mocking Madlyne Pryor for her apparent whole-hearted belief in the supernatural hocus pocus he merely appropriated for the creation of his criminal persona.

Osborn rides his glider toward The Goblin Queen with a razor bat in his hand, undeterred by her accusation that his genetically engineered facsimiles have brought undue attention to the real underworld denizens she controls.

Before the dueling Goblin leaders can meet -- two strands of web snag the bat!

Man-Spider descends between them, ensnaring Green Goblin with three more strands of webbing slung from his many extra limbs!

A web-swinging kick takes Norman Osborn clean off his board -- with a two-fisted double-punch delivered on landing to keep the Green Goblin down.

Man-Spider webs the crafty villain's hands together and vows to out him to J Jonah Jameson and The Daily Bugle press, but this only seems to incite a glowing fury in Madelyne Pryor.

The web-slinger is completely baffled as she lets out a shrieking cry and begins to glow with green energy. He assures her everything is under control, but the Man-Spider has no idea how wrong he is.

Quick consultation with The Green Goblin does little to dissuade the Man-Spider's confidence in his ability to handle the situation -- even as Osborn pleads for his life: "Fool! Can't you see it? She is insane. There is murder in her eyes. Now unbind me, so I might have a fighting chance."

The Goblin Queen orders the spider to stand aside so she can execute the "false goblin". When Man-Spider tries to talk her down, reminding her that they're the good guys, she renders her resignation with a blast of supernatural energy!

A stunned Man-Spider is staggered physically and mentally by the attack.

Osborn continues to plead for his release, while The Goblin Queen recounts the world's severe rejection of all things arcane and mystic since "The Strange Debacle", and the complacency that had built up in her favour -- until the Green Goblin's theatrics renewed the populace's fear.

She sneers at Man-Spider's assertion that nobody will die this night as Green Goblin continues to plead for his life.

Man-Spider attempts to use his webs to hold The Goblin Queen to account, but The Fallen seers them with his spewing flame -- and slashes his talons across the hero's chest!

The room fills with eerie green supernatural light as The Goblin Queen's magic whisks the injure Man-Spider and Green Goblin from the ground and levitates them in the middle of the room.

She peels away The Green Goblin's mask, to expose the true face of Norman Osborn for execution. Then she conjures two glowing green pincer claws.

The Brute arrives upon the horrifying scene just in time to witness The Green Goblin and Man-Spider beheaded by his teammate.

He lets out a horrified objection as the bodies fall to the ground -- and Madlyne Pryor's descent into demonic darkness is completed.

The Hammer...

A grim turn of events as the heroes of the Mutant X universe show their true colours away from prying eyes. The rest of the world will continue to believe Madelyne Pryor and The Fallen are heroes, parlaying their guilt to the child-like Brute, who takes the rap for the double-murder after a brief skirmish & chase.

Not quite the introduction to Mutant X I expected for the site, but a tantalizing one as Marvel announce Madelyne Pryor & Archangel's entry into the Dark X-Men, and we gear up for more multiversal web-slinging in Across The Spider-Verse.

If I'm honest: I'm actually incredibly soured by cinema's cheap and simplistic ringing out of the "multiverse" concept, seemingly facilitated by the last decade of comics using the concept for haphazard, flimsy thrills.

The relative instability of a mainline reality has dramatically diminished the appeal of alternate universes. It seems like just getting one version right has become challenge enough, let alone polluting the waters with disproportionately sincere entries into stories like Secret Empire, or the brand-tainting 2015 Secret Wars.

All of that said: there was a time when exploring the multiverse held great appeal, and it's a lot more fun talking about the ones worth remembering than the ones that turn my stomach!

Of course, a lot of comic book fans have some story about reading their way through illness or injury, and a fat stack of Mutant X issues was exactly what got me through a pretty grim stomach-turning health scare in 2001. That, and a live performance by Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros on Letterman. Good stuff!

I already had a handful of issues from the first couple of years of Mutant X. Its fabled place in my personal history came at a time of otherwise downturn in comic book reading. Other interests were taking hold, and maybe the comics of the turn of the millennium weren't so great. Then again, maybe they were.

You might relate the intrigue of Mutant X to the earlier Age of Apocalypse, but that's only seeing it for the X-Men focused alternate reality it presented.

I might try to compare Mutant X to the universe-hopping of Exiles with its team of central characters and broader scope, but that's wrong as well.

Mutant X was an on-going series starring Havok. Ostensibly the continuation and relaunch of X-Factor, which had already undergone three distinct eras, and ended in 1998 with X-Factor #149 and Havok's apparent death. A cliffhanger resolved one Twlight Zone twist later when he finds himself inside the body of an Alex Summers living his best life as father of li'l Scotty, and leader of the universally beloved super-team The Six in a world that doesn't fear or hate mutants.

Like the world of a classic issue of What If...?, Mutant X is filled with dark and morose twists, none more evident than the members of The Six themselves:

There's seemingly no Jean Grey in this reality, instead finding Madelyne Pryor continuing her tenure as an ill fitted replacement. Angel was transformed into a more vile and evil creature by Apocalypse; Henry McCoy continued experimenting on himself until he devolved into a green, hoofed Brute; Storm never recovered from Dracula's bite, becoming the vampiric Bloodstorm; and Ice Man never regained control of his powers after tampering by Loki.

A big part of the appeal of the series then becomes discovering how this altered version of the Marvel Universe has affected other characters, doubling the fun with interesting guest villains and heroes both.

A lot of examples trade on iconic stories and moments from Marvel history, and in the case of the murdered Man-Spider -- he not only retains the six-armed mutation famous from Amazing Spider-Man #101, but also turns out to be the spider-clone when the real Man-Spider testifies at the trial for his murder!

The whole episode, "goblin clones" included, appears to trade on the still recent Clone Saga, death of Ben Reilly, and return of Norman Osborn, who'd been presumed dead since famously being impaled on his own glider in 1973's Amazing Spider-Man #122. An ailment he recovered from to return to print in 1996.

With rare exception we file character "divergents" (alternate reality versions) under the main character, so for that reason we'll infer the deceased Man-Spider is tantamount to original Spider-Clone, Ben Reilly. Despite his significant differences we'll also put The Fallen under the Angel tag, even though this Warren Worthington III makes for one of the most compelling variants of the series.

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Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured more than 700 battles and ranked well over 1,000 characters! Find the entire multiverse, and future entries, by following topics linked throughout this post, or by diving into the Secret Archive for an index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number.

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Winners: Goblin Queen & The Fallen
#204 (new) Madelyne Pryor [+2 kills]
#39 (+11) Angel (The Fallen)
#75 (-7) Scarlet Spider (Man-Spider)
#1050 (-12) Green Goblin (Norman Osborn)

SPIDER-MAN versus MYSTERIO

Media Blizzard Part 3 of 3: Unplugged (Marvel)
Where: Spider-Man #65 When: February 1996 Why: Howard Mackie How: John Romita Jr & Tom Morgan

The Story So Far...
MysteryVision is the hottest name in must-see TV, earning unprecedented ratings as the fastest-growing network to hit New York City cable providers!

The critics can't seem to stand it, but that hasn't stopped viewers of all ages beating a path to tune-in to its lineup of highly unusual programming! So, what's the secret to broadcaster Randolph Hines' success?..

Spider-Man discovers a stolen DIT chip is behind MysteryVision after finding its inventor mesmerized by his television! Professor Ramirez's highly advanced "Digital Imagery Transmission" technology can convert thought into broadcast, replacing an entire production team with one man's vision!

An unannounced trip to the dilapidated theatre housing MysteryVision's offices soon reveals the mastermind behind it all: Mysterio has at last found his medium and is reaping success through subliminal manipulation! The new Spider-Man must meet his old foe head-on if he's to free the minds of NYC!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Spider-Man 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Draw 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-Man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Spider-Man 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Spider-Man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Spider-Man 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Mysterio 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Spider-Man 29 (Metahuman)

Time for another showdown between classic arch-rivals, right? Not exactly...

As the mugshot above shows: This isn't your father's Spider-Man -- even though we were all being led to believe he was at the dawn of 1996.

The infamous "Clone Saga" switched the real Peter Parker with his prodigal duplicate, who had apparently survived their seemingly lethal meeting in 1975's Amazing Spider-Man #149!

Created by the notorious Jackal; the Spider-Clone was an exact genetic copy of a matured Peter Parker, possessing of all his unique abilities and memories up to that point. This allowed both to believe the clone had replaced the original, leading the self-christened Ben Reilly to eventually become a new Spider-Man.

When it came time to throw down with Spidey's classic foes, the clone recalls intimate details of their earliest history, such as the first battle with Mysterio in Amazing Spider-Man #13, and later victory in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #4!

In truth, the Spider-Clone's adventures only began with his reemergence in 1994. He relearned the ropes (or webs) after taking up the responsibility of his powers as the Scarlet Spider. During this time he even developed some new tricks, such as his trademark "impact webbing" - pellets that ensnare a target.

Mysterio may not be a complete unknown to the replacement Spider-Man, but that doesn't mean he lacks the element of surprise!

As seen in his debut, Mysterio isn't just a master of visual effects. He also has the means to suppress Spider-Man's greatest weapon against them: his spider-sense! He was even able to diminish the heightened sense of the sightless Daredevil leading up to their dramatic showdown in Daredevil #7!

In today's featured battle, Spidey has already removed augmented reality lenses Mysterio secretly fixed to his mask. He's banged up from fighting gangs he thought were hideous monsters, and dealing with iced-up web-shooters. Is that enough to throw him off his game? Let's find out!

The Tape: Spider-Man Ranking: Spider-Man (#94)

What Went Down...
Through a cold winter's blizzard, Spider-Man swings a determined path against a bitter night wind. His guide is a tracing device created by Professor Ramirez: inventor of the stolen DIT chip that powers Mysterio's MysteryVision broadcast!

The villain watches his ratings skyrocket as an audience of huddled New York masses is held in total thrall by subliminal signals. Only security systems divert his attention as a closed circuit feed provides images of the web-slinger's arrival.

With the transmitter at last upon him: Spider-Man prepares to free the people -- when suddenly the snow covered city tower is replaced with an arid desert and a looming dragon!

Spidey leaps clear as the gigantic beast plunges its head for a deadly bite!

He reminds himself Mysterio's illusions can't really hurt him as the dragon rises back up and its mouth begins to fill with flame. He's only half right...

The disoriented wall-crawler is sent hurtling from the inner city high rise as a massive blast of electric energy strikes him!

Replacing the dragon illusion is Mysterio, wielding the high-voltage charge of gauntlets attached to an upgraded power suit. He vows to protect his "privately owned property" by any means necessary.

The airborne hero uses a web-line to pull himself back into orbit of the rooftop and challenge Mysterio's glib defense of the transmitter. He's greeted with another blast of electric energy, but this time he vaults over it -- into snakes!

The tangled mass of snapping serpents is unsettling - and even causes pain -- but Spider-Man remains determined to shrug off the illusion!

He fights his way through the distraction, reaching the transmitter tower to rip away its exterior covering like mere aluminum foil! His focus leaves him totally vulnerable to intense fire as Mysterio attempts to protect the device!

Fast weaving of a web-shield provides some insulation from the devastating electric jolts, but leaves Spidey pinned to the transmitter's side with few options for defending himself and completing his objective to destroy the DIT chip!

Mysterio powers up the charge to deliver one all mighty finishing blow, giving Spider-Man the chance to formulate one high-stakes play. He waits until the very last moment and leaps clear, leaving the deadly bolt to strike the tower!

The transmitter explodes, but Spider-Man is still on the case -- leaping to rescue Mysterio from the shockwave and collapsing roof!

The pair spill into the building below where employs scramble to make sense of the drama. Assuming the guise of MysterVision President once more, Mysterio attempts to have Spider-Man arrested, but with the DIT chip destroyed and back-up generators maintaining the broadcast, everyone's eyes are opened to the truth. The ratings begin to plummet as the nightmare finally ends.

The Hammer...
Chalk one up for Ben Reilly! The erstwhile "new" Spider-Man had a prelude battle in Sensational Spider-Man #0, but passed his first real test in the new webs by defeating classic foe Mysterio in today's featured third act finale!

It took a couple of years of convolution to get here, but the premise was fairly simple: 1975's Spider-clone had unknowingly switched places with the real Peter Parker, leading "Ben Reilly" to "return" as the one true Spider-Man in '96.

This ultimate twist in the controversial "Clone Saga" completely redefined twenty-years of publication history, but for those willing to stick with the dramatic rethink, it promised a reinvigorated take on the classic formula.

In his new life, Ben Reilly had already found a supporting cast working at The Daily Grind café. They captured some of the classic spirit of the Daily Bugle bullpen, while also providing easy access to the city (for heroics), and a relevant workplace in the age of Friends, Seinfeld, and the rise of the foamy latte.

Reilly met a customer turned love interest, Jessica Carradine, who put a moody 90s twist on the old dual identity dynamic. She soon turned out to be a photographer obsessed with proving Spider-Man framed & killed her father -- who was the burglar that shot Uncle Ben. It was never going to work, but it started out with a lot of promise and probably could've lasted longer.

This new status quo was anchored with the launch of Sensational Spider-Man. It was a new title Ben Reilly could call his own, while also starring in continued runs of classic series (Amazing, etc). The new book demanded a classic villain to go with the classic mantle. As Scarlet Spider, Reilly had already had run-ins with the likes of Venom and Alistair Smythe. All things considered, it was a fine time to dust off Mysterio, who was a little worse for wear after previous episodes.

The three-part Media Blizzard kicked off in Sensational Spider-Man #1, imbued with the philosophy of combining classic and modern. Mysterio was up to his old tricks, but got a new design to go with new tricks.

It seemed inevitable that someone would try to subvert Mysterio's famous "fish bowl". The new design buried it in a thick fog of green smoke that only implied the dome - never showed it clearly. His now black bodysuit was covered with copious buckled belts for some reason, too. I guess that was some kind of hangover from the early nineties, and came back into vogue right around this time in anime & manga, too. Somebody in the Spider-offices obviously liked it. Hobgoblin would get the same design treatment not long after this.

The plot to use television to enthrall the masses wasn't a bad one, but the story lacked a unique twist or commentary. Anyone who'd seen Batman Forever a year or so prior would've found the brainwashed masses staring at their TV sets pretty familiar. It's a tried & true idea, but a perfunctory one, really just using an available Lee/Ditko villain to lend heft to the introduction of the world.

With the ills of brainwashing thwarted, the story concludes with a whimpering critique of Mysterio's unconventional programming: "In the end, Mysterio, I think it was really simple... Your shows were just no good."

We're never shown much of what MysteryVision actually is. Spider-Man's street fights are involved, and there's a big skull-adorned killer reindeer and elf out to cause trouble. Otherwise it's mostly green-tinted static and promos. In my mind's eye, I guess I filled in the blanks as something like MTV's Liquid Television. It reads like the moral is to never challenge conventional programming and in 2019 that's an especially unattractive proposition.

Despite its lack of aspiration, the story does play with some interesting twists on the Mysterio MO. Quentin Beck as a smarmy, villainous TV executive was a fun take. Something about his goateed design as Randolph Hines reminds me of Wes Craven, but his violent Christmas programming is much more like Bill Murray in Scrooged, if his prickly programming had artistic pretentions.

The real edge is in the way Mysterio's illusions are filtered through the concept of practical technology. MysteryVision is in the process of developing virtual reality and special "3D broadcasts" when Spider-Man infiltrates their offices. He dons a prototype VR helmet at the behest of Hines and unwittingly applies vision-obscuring lenses over his mask that edit his reality. These days we know this technique as "augmented reality", but back then it was pretty nifty.

This is also one of the earliest stories I remember dealing with the eyes on Spider-Man's mask as lenses. It became live-action standard with Sam Raimi's Spider-Man in 2002, but the comics often depicted them as cloth.

Virtual reality was by no means a new idea, for Mysterio or in general, but it was on the cusp of taking off in new ways with the theatrical explosion of The Matrix in '99. It seemed like this should've been the foundation of a strong push into the new millennium for Mysterio, but as we know, the revamp didn't last. He'd have a run-in with Daredevil later this year, and deliver his grand opus leading to his untimely demise in Daredevil (Vol.2) #7, shortly after.

As for Ben Reilly, he wasn't long for this world, either. If it was ever intended to permanently switch the two Peter Parkers - cooler heads prevailed. Ben Reilly was killed by a resurrected Norman Osborn at the end of 1996. A fitting end to a controversial few years in Spider-Man's long and web-tangled history.

At the time, I was intrigued by the radical shift in reality, and fresh sensibility of the new Spider-Man. It was a first of its kind concept, and a fun time for casually reading comics. I wouldn't want to go back to it, though.

Indeed, I haven't had much desire to revisit any of the Clone Saga prior to this moment. With so many half-hearted stunts and multi-year replacements in the last few years of Marvel Comics, the concept has been well and truly worn out, if it was ever a good one to begin with. Maybe we'll explore more some time.

If you really want to experience more of the Ben Reilly saga you can find today's featured fight, and some of the issues referenced, in Spider-Man: Ben Reilly Omnibus Vol. 1. Use purchase links provided and Amazon will support the site at no cost to you! Don't see them? Disable blocking add-ons to go see them right here!

You can also find more superhero smackdown and discussion by following links throughout this post, or diving into the Issue Index for a full archive! Follow on Twitter and Facebook for daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day, and be sure to like, share, and subscribe the best ones!

Winner: Spider-Man
#64 (+30) Spider-Man (Ben Reilly)
#393 (-10) Mysterio

HERO OF THE WEEK: THE JACKAL (Marvel)
Real Name: Ben Reilly
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-man #149 (October, 1975)
Fight Club Ranking: #82

Featured Fights:
- vs SCARECROW & SCARECROW: Marvel versus DC #2 (Mar 1996)
- vs SUPERBOY: Marvel versus DC #3 (Apr 1996)

As you may or may not know, Spider-man has been seeing dead people of late. More specifically: Marvel's Clone Conspiracy has brought about the return of the villainous Jackal persona - an identity most associated with mad scientist Miles Warren.

Not unlike the original, this Jackal's been using cloning to effectively resurrect the dead -- provided they meet requirements that will earn them the medication needed to maintain their living state. CBR reports last week's Clone Conspiracy #3 revealed the secret identity lurking behind the revamped mask -- none other than clone supremo and Hero of the Week: Ben Reilly!

With misdirection and conspiracy so inherent to the plot, I'm not sure I'm totally willing to take the reveal at face value. It seems to make a good lick of sense, though. Both within the terms of the story itself, and as confirmation of what struck me as one of the most obvious guesses for the "Dead No More" pre-release teasers. Whether or not that's a good thing remains to be seen.

I should probably confess to having enjoyed aspects of the much maligned, original mid-nineties "Clone Saga". At inception, it seemed like an interesting way to revisit the earlier 1975 clone battle, and spin a bigger plot out of its famous conclusion.

The science and ethics of cloning was a pretty "in" topic at the time, and the uniquely genuine belief that "our" Peter Parker may have been the clone all along was a pretty exciting, paranoid concept! The eventual creation of the Scarlet Spider was the epitome of nineties ripped sweatshirt naff, but it had a certain streamlined appeal, exploring Spidey from a fresh angle.

Of course, even at the time, it was easy to understand the haters.

Ditching enduring icons and their history is always pretty bogus. In the schoolyard of the 1990s - knowledge was power, and superhero backstory a cool currency that could come in handy at any moment. DC Comics struggled for playground market share, hampered by the often misunderstood fault lines caused by Crisis on Infinite Earths. Even as fans rushed to collect the first appearance of edgy new heroes -- nobody was diving into Marvel Comics because it didn't have a classic canon!

It's hard not to look back on The Clone Saga and see the grim legacy of Death of Superman. Those who predicted doom were ultimately right. Instead of being unique experiments in high concept ideas, stories like The Cloen Saga are viewed as publisher precedent. Where once Spidey would turn into a giant spider for a few issues -- we now endure deviant concepts for a few years. Characters die and return in seasonal events. The time afforded to classic heroes is shorter and shorter.

There are elements of The Clone Conspiracy I like. As a mask and bodysuited wannabe Green Goblin, The Jackal always left something to be desired. Entwining The Jackal name with relevant imagery of Ancient Egyptian death gods is a welcome improvement. Marrying his clone science to issues of mortality - a nice way of building on the idea. Even the notion of reshaping Ben Reilly as an antagonistic counterpart has its appeal! I'm just not sure it's sustainable.

As a means of undoing the last few frustrating years of death and mayhem - it's an unattractive prospect. A cycle of invalidation implying time wasted. I don't want to see Doctor Octopus dead, but the lesson learned is to not take the mortality of characters so lightly. As a reference to, and proliferation of, the diminishing returns of post-Death of Superman stunts, The Clone Conspiracy would be unwelcome. It's an old, tired, joyless way of doing superheroes. Something we get far too much of these days, from far too many mediums. Comics should be better. To hell with other versions.

That we once again have a Spider-man swinging through the Marvel skyline is nice. I'm not overly opposed to his current status as wealthy industrialist, even if I think getting to the inevitable reset sooner than later is preferred. It's good to know Spidey's there, though. Let's just hope it stays that way, without falling back into the trap of diminishing the concept through rampant reproduction!

<< Hero of the Week 12/19: Enchantress    [Home]    Hero of the Week 12/05: Captain Marvel >>

DC versus MARVEL
(DC/Marvel)
Where: DC versus Marvel #1/#4, Marvel versus DC #2/#3 When: March/April 1996
Why: Ron Marz/Peter David How: Dan Jurgens/Claudio Castellini

The recap...
- Captain Marvel versus Thor
- Aquaman versus Sub-Mariner
- Flash versus Quicksilver
- Robin versus Jubilee
- Green Lantern versus Silver Surfer
- Catwoman versus Elektra
- Lobo versus Wolverine
- Wonder Woman versus Storm
- Superboy versus Spider-man
- Superman versus Hulk
- Batman versus Captain America

For the past three months Secret Earths has featured the events of the mini-series that broke all the boundaries, and brought DC and Marvel face to face, ten years ago.

Pitted against one another by two cosmic entities; champions from the Marvel and DC universes did battle to save their universe from extinction.
In the end Batman and Captain America would be catalysts for saving both universes, as the young new cosmic hero, Access, merged realities to create the 'Amalgam' universe.

Though this merged universe could not last, in the end, the triumphs and tribulations of the lives lived by Captain America and Batman were enough to save their worlds. In the last moments the two cosmic 'brothers' that waged war with their pawns were satisfied, and spoke for the first time to say, "You've done well!"

Despite officially winning it six-to-five, Marvel and DC, represented by these two cosmic entities, make a rare gesture of sincerity and congratulate each other on a job well done. Which is all good and well, but what about the 'unofficial' fights peppered and alluded to throughout the series?

Superman versus Juggernaut (DC versus Marvel #1)
What originally begins as yet another tussle between the X-Men and Juggernaut, takes a curious twist. As the mighty Juggernaut prepares to deliver a crushing blow to a floored Wolverine, he finds himself among the earliest targets of this cosmic crossover event.
The follow through of the previous punch collides with the side of a building - the Daily Planet - which doesn't make a great first impression.

A streaking blue collides with the helmet of the Juggernaut, and actually manages to floor the unstoppable force! Though this encounter was brief, this is deemed conclusive of a result.
Winner: Superman

Batman & Robin versus Bullseye (DC versus Marvel #1)
What a delicious turn of events. While the Joker was crazy enough not to engage a disaplaced Spider-man - Bullseye is unstable enough to snatch the nearest kid in a cave, and start demanding answers.
Unfortunately for him, one of those answers is "Batman."

With a knife to Robin's throat, Bullseye holds Batman in a stand-off, batarang drawn. The man who doesn't miss teases Batman, cutting at the mask of Robin and speculating his chances of a miss.

The boy wonder, hardly helpless, elbows the fiend in the neck, giving Batman an opening to toss his batarang. However, even stunned, Bullseye is able to snatch the weapon out of the air, and whip it right back at the target.

Much to Bullseye's dismay, however, Batman is able to duck and weave the return attack, and swiftly plant a stiff left on the chin of the Marvel villain.
"You hit... even harder than... than... Daredevil..."
Winner: Batman (w/ Robin)

Wolverine versus Killer Croc (Marvel versus DC #2)
Bursting from the sewers, Killer Croc and Wolverine go at it tooth and nail - literally!
With several on lookers (including Clark Kent and Ben Reilly), the two feral fighters do battle and exchange quips. The two battle their way into the streets, careering into a toy store, as Wolverine takes an apparent offensive.

While no definitive blow is struck on the page, Wolverine is free to accompany Gambit in stealing the Batmobile. Though apparent that Killer Croc is defeated, it is possible he escaped.
Winner: Inconclusive (draw)

Bane versus Captain America (Marvel versus DC #2)
The battle of the serum enhanced super soldiers!
As Cap's shield hurls out of reach, Bane mocks his opponent as he prepares to deliver a back breaking finishing move that will leave the Captain crippled and helpless.

As Bane mocks the Captain's strategy, his full frontal assault turns out to be an error of judgment. Cap's shield, ever a faithful weapon, comes boomerang around right into the back of Bane's skull. Ouch. Schooled by the master!
"Now... No more back talk from you."
Winner: Captain America

Peter Parker versus Scarecrow & Scarecrow (Marvel versus DC #2)
Walking the streets alone can be dangerous, but that goes double when you're Lois Lane - professional damsel in distress!
In a meeting of gimmicks, both the Marvel and DC Scarecrows come up with the genius plan of kidnapping Superman's gal for whatever genius reason that goes unsaid.

Luckily Planet photographer Peter Parker is nearby, and able to unload some mean martial arts skills on the two fear enducing putzes.
Winner: Peter "Ben Reilly" Parker

Hulk & Superman versus Metallo (Marvel versus DC #3)
Beamed to Metropolis, Hulk finds himself dealing with a metallic hulking maniac called Metallo. Using a nearby giant Superman statue, Hulk smashes the 'metal geek' around a bit, until Superman finally shows up.

Confronting each other for their official bout, the two do away with Metallo switfly with a double punch, before being teleported to clearer grounds.
Winners: Superman & Hulk

Dark Claw & Super-Soldier versus Hyena (DC versus Marvel #4)
Dark Claw lurks across the rooftops, pursuing his arch-nemesis the Hyena.
Dark Claw attempts to put an end to the pursuit, hurtling a bomb at his foe, but Hyena is able to rip a chimney from a roof and swat it away toward innocents below.

The intervention of Super-Soldier sees a happy ending for the folks below.
As Hyena thinks he's finally made his get-away, the two heroes loom on the rooftop waiting for him.

Hyena backflips away, and makes his way to the streets below where Access, a character with newly acquired powers, finds himself the target of a hostage situation.

Of course, as Hyena leaps at his potential ticket out, Access creates a portal to someplace unknown, and lets Hyena send himself away.
Access attends to more important business, like seperating the Amalgam universe into the Marvel and DC universe via bits hidden in Captain America and Batman.
Winner: Access (w/ Dark Claw & Super-Soldier)

Hulk & Superman versus Moleman & the Moloids (DC versus Marvel #4)
In the batcave, Hulk emerges to tackle the swarming Moloid masses led by the Moleman. Using a well shined giant penny, Hulk flattens an armada of Moloids, and then tussles it up with the little freaks himself.
The cavalry arrives in the form of Superman, who deflects a blast from the Moloids' "greatest weapon" - a very Kirby laser canon.

Moleman and his Moloids are forced into retreat.
Winners: Superman & Hulk

Superboy versus Kingpin (DC versus Marvel #4)
As Wilson Fisk abuses his powers as owner of the Daily Planet, Spider-man swings in to heckle his long-standing foe.
Having already laid Perry White on his ass, Kingpin doesn't even see the brazen attack from Superboy coming. Some tight pants, a bulky jacket and a little 'tactile telekenisis' later, and Kingpin's getting dumped through a table.
Winner: Superboy

Elektra & Catwoman versus Abomination (DC versus Marvel #4)
Though the battle is sufficiently depicted (and considerably one-sided), in the end the sky turning to blood proves too much of a distraction.
Winner: Inconclusive (draw)

Flash & Quicksilver versus Venom (DC versus Marvel #4)
As the Marvel villains continue to get a good run in the wrap up of this mini-series, Flash and Quicksilver, though much better matched, find themselves sufficiently distracted during their fight.
Winner: Inconclusive (draw)

JLA/Avengers versus Darkseid & Thanos (DC versus Marvel #4)
A collection of heroes from both universes charge in to do battle with the wagering titans, Darkseid and Thanos.
Darkseid takes delight in finding "fire" in the mighty Thor, who deflects deadly eye beams from the ruler of Apokolips. The Silver Surfer and Storm swoop in for attacks on Darkseid, but they prove ineffective, as Darkseid topples Thor with a second eyebeam attack.

Meanwhile Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel fare better with Thanos, drawing first blood.

As the two fights converge, a thumped Wonder Woman hands Thor the mighty Mjolnir, much to his surprise.

As the sky turns to blood, these heroes too are distracted.
Winner: Draw

The hammer...
So, in the end, with these additional fights, who is the true winner?
Well, by Secret Earths standards it was a draw. While the official fights drew a 6-5 finish, additional fights ended in an 8-all draw, with a bunch o' ties and inconclusive results. Bravo to fair conclusions.

All in all this probably wasn't the greatest crossover event. As alluded to by some of these extra fights, there was a lot of fertile ground that went untouched.
That said, it's been a lot of fun taking a look at each battle the past few months, and filling the site with entries based on comics that were just made for a site like this.

Unfortunately, criticms of this mini-series come to mind far quicker than praise.
Perhaps some of the most bitter results are the chances missed. Some of the fights alluded to, but not given enough screen time to make this extras special included: Steel versus Absorbing man, Green Lantern versus Green Goblin, Daredevil versus the Riddler, Batman versus Venom, Captain Marvel versus Dr. Doom, Punisher versus Deathstroke, Etrigan versus Ghost Rider, Thing.Human Torch versus Firestorm/Martian Manhunter, Superman versus Annihilus, Spider-man versus Man-Bat and Nightwing versus Gambit.

If even a fraction of that list could have been given a look in, this series might have even scraped through with obscurity cred. Unfortunately, these just highlight a lot of missed chances, sitting next to a lot of half-done fights listed in this entry, and even in previous 'official' entries.
I would also particularly highlight the absence of big names like the Fantastic Four and the Martian Manhunter, lucky to get even a one-page mention.

Overall, I suppose a lot of this has to be put down to the era.
The writing is not at all intelligent, providing a fairly standard cosmic romp with a lot of quick, vingettes for each fight. The drama and the story of each conflict is completely absent here, and that's a shame.

Visually the book is also lacking. Castellini and Jurgens appear as somewhat unusual choices for a project so huge in the context of comics history.
For a one-time situation, it's disappointing that more range and variety couldn't have been offered up.

Personally I'd love to see another effort, with contemporary talents and characters spreading the event across several mini-series and one-shots. Guys like Brian Bendis and Ed Brubaker with Michael Lark on Daredevil/Batman.
Characters like the JSA, the JLA and the Avengers all interacting. There really are endless possibilities.

Never the less, it was a very fun series, and great to see what we did.

Next month, as voted by poll, Monday madness will feature fights starring the Hulk! Hope you enjoyed revisiting Marvel versus DC, I know I did (even if it is 2am!)!

NEXT: Another special event! Celebrating the release of X3, Wolverine takes on a bitter foe in a whole other medium! Stay tuned!

SPIDER-MAN versus SUPERBOY
"The Showdown of the Century!" (DC/Marvel Comics)
Where: Marvel versus DC #3 When: April 1996
Why: Ron Marz How: Claudio Castellini

The story so far...
Life in the DC and Marvel universes has always been tough, but when cosmic events conspire to endanger both, the heroes of both Earths face a secret crisis that could destroy them all.

Before time two cosmic entities existed, sexless brothers representing the two sides of all that is, was, and will ever be.

Turmoil between the two brought about an end to things as they once were, but in the aftermath their energies were dissipated into space, becoming part of the multi-verse. As a result of the actions of various beings of different realities, instabilities emerged. After eons of recollecting their fragmented thoughts, the two brothers turned, and remembered their existence.

Now they pit their warriors against one and other.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Superboy 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Spider-man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-man 4 (Olympic Sprinter)
Stamina: Superboy 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Spider-man 3 (Street Wise)
Energy Powers: Spider-man 2 (Projectile Weapon)

Weighing the information up, it's surprising just how closely matched these two heroes are on paper. Of course, paper doesn't mean squat when you're fighting for the fate of your reality.

In cases such as stamina and fighting abiltiy; advantages were awarded based on the history and potential appilcation of relating powers. In reality, each weighs in at the same rated point as the other.
This fact better highlights just how even the two are, as opposed to the 5/2 advantage overall.

It is important to note that each of these characters were very different at this time of 1996.

Superboy was generally depicted as a far less mature character, whose application of powers rated him considerably less than his Kryptonian counterpart. Likewise, Spider-man was in a very different place quite literally, with the clone called Ben Reilly assuming the mantle in a period where it was believed he was the true Spider-man. Of course, ultimately this fight has far greater resonance in hindsight, with this Spider-man being revealed definitively as the clone.

So, how do these two facsimiles of iconic heroes fare against one and other?

Superboy arguably grew into the more formiddable of the two, with his tactile telekinesis developing further, providing a far higher strength level. Comparable, even, to that of some of DC's heaviest hitting second-tier heroes.
Not that recent status speaks very honestly to the potential of this fight, as both characters are now dead.

Ultimatey both characters are quite evenly matched, with strengths unique to each other. Spider-man's agility and speed makes him a difficult foe, but Superboy's tactile telekinesis is a versatile equializer.

Though built from a mature mold; the Spider-clone retained the memories of his original, and also experienced a lengthy career of his own, not only fighting Spider-man, but also his own adventures, which culminated in the Scarlet Spider identity. In fact, Ben Reilly's experience uniquely gave him the opportunity to defeat Venom without assistance - something the true Spider-man has always struggled to do.

Overall: Scarlet Spider

What went down...
Trademark spider webs hit the similarly synonymous circular sunnies of the oh-so nineties, Superboy.
"NO FAIR!," he shouts as he tosses his eyeware aside, and poses angrily in his bulky leather jacket/glove combo. A combo complimented by skin tight spandex pants, and a shaved undercut.

Spidey taunts the super-clone, emerging stuck to the side of a watertower, but Superboy laughs last, using his oft mentioned "tactile telekinesis" to send a shove in Spidey's general direction.
Spider-sense and comparable agility give Spidey the edge to avoid the blow, but the shove is enough to rupture the water containing structure.

As water floods onto the rooftop, Superboy explains his somewhat appropriate origins. Unaware of the relevence, Superboy hopes Spidey's startled expression isn't reflective of a reclutance to be beaten by a lowly clone.

Superboy's mockery goes around, and comes around quite abruptly, as he's forced to eat spider-feet, as Spidey uses his hands to stick to the tank and throw his legs out in a double footed uppercut kick.
He leaps down to follow the attack, but loses Superboy amongst the murky waters surrounding them.

Like napalm in the morning, Supes burns Spidey, leaping out of the water to flip the web-slinger before his spider-sense can even give him the chance to leap away.

Superboy swoops in for the kill, but this time the spider-clone is armed and ready with his patented impact webbing!
He fires off two shots than explode, entangling and engulfing the young Superboy, who careens into a rooftop electrical box. A dangerous concoction when the rooftop has been flooded with water.

The hammer...
There you have it folks, as he's more affectionately known, the Scarlet Spider picks up the victory for Marvel! Just think, fans worldwide consider him one of the most embarassing blemishes on Marvel's record, and yet here he was in 1996, at the height of his career protecting the entire Marvel universe.

As you saw, this month we're testing out a new method for tale of the tape. It may be a little early to tell, but the status match-ups may just be the most ingenious method yet.

If the one on one match-ups involved fashion faux pas, maybe it would have been a different story. Or maybe it's just too hard to choose between torn sweat shirts, and single earrings.
Yes, like the many weeks previous, we again are granted a window to ten years in the past. This time capsule highlights some of the finest errors of judgment known to any editor across the land.

That said, despite it's silliness, this fight is actually one of the most enjoyable of the entire series. Not only does it not suffer from the controversy of other similar fights, like the voting debacle of Wolverine/Lobo, but it also features three of the more energetic pages dedicated to these potentially universe-altering fights.

Though consistently awkward, the artwork packs some of the most dynamic direction, while also making great use of the characters' abilities, and their surroundings. Certainly one of the more impressive results.

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 4

NEXT: A brand new Blue Beetle has to grow into his superhero mantle, but if his first solo opponent has anything to do with, the only thing he'll be filling is a casket!